Animal commode

ABSTRACT

A reinforced bottom grooved plastic tray in which is placed disposable pads, each pad comprising a top layer of artificial grass impregnated with an animal attractant, which is adhered to a perforated plastic sheet beneath which is an abosrbant layer backed by an impervious sheet. A container of deodorizer and a plurality of disposable pads may be packaged with each tray.

United States Patent 1191 Brazzell Aug. 14, 1973 ANIMAL COMMODE3,344,789 10/1967 Arnold et a1 128/287 [76] Inventor: Jack W. Brazzell,3416 Brigham St.,

Toledo, Ohi 43608 Primary Examiner-Hugh R. Chamblee t 221 Filed: Nov.12, 1971 A Hugh Adam [21] Appl. No.: 198,349 [57] ABSTRACT [521 US. Cl.119/1 A removed was? .3 which is placed d1sposable pads, each padcompnsmg a top [51]- lnt. Cl. A0111 29/00 [58] M of Search I 19/1,128/287 layer of art1fic1a1 grass lmpregnated w1th an ammal attractant,which is adhered to a perforated plastic sheet [561 CM 52213111122?ii22333211321323???ZZJZ S11E13 UNITED STATES PATENTS ity of disposablepads may be packaged with each tray. 3,339,527 9/1967 Burroughs 119/1 13,358,647- 12/1967 Wilson 119/1 15 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures TilPAIENIEDMJBMW 3.752.121

sum 1 or 2 kkbfismwuxwwwww INVENTOR. JACK W. BRAZZELL ATTORNEY Pmmiu3.152.121

SNEEI 2 0F 2 INVENTOR. JACK W. BRAZZELL ATTORNEY ANIMAL COMMODEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Previously, trays with disposable pads havebeen employed for pets and particularly for dogs. However, since manypets are owned by people who are urban and apartment dwellers, and sincerecent anti-pollution laws forbid the use of public property, such asstreets and parks, by these pets, it now has become more important toprovide an attractive looking and 'nonsmelling commode for pets.Preferably such a commode should also simulate the outdoors or a lawnwhich the pet previously has been used to using.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally speaking, the animal commode of thisinvention comprises an impervious tray and an absorbent mat covered withan artificial grass impregnated with an attractant for the animal.

The impervious tray may comprise a vacuum molded plastic, preferably ofa light and sanitary looking color such as white, which containsinwardly sloping edges and grooves in its bottom for both reinforcingthe bottom and collecting liquids. If desired, the tray may further bereinforced by being adhered to a stiff backing panel, such as offiberboard.

The disposable absorbant mat which comprises one of the primary featuresof this invention may be pre-cut to fit inside of the tray. This mat hasfor its upper surface an aritifical grass which may be made of raffia ora shredded paper or plastic which may be flocked or woven onto aperforated or pervious sheet. Beneath this sheet is provided a liquidabsorbing pad, such as a plurality of sheets of absorbant paper. Theback or bottom of this pad is preferably provided with an impervioussheet, such as of plastic, which sheet may have edges and/or comprisethe tray itself.

With the package of this animal commode, and a plurality of padssimulating grass, may be included an instruction pamphlet on how totrain a pet to use the commode, as well as a small bottle of deodorant,one drop of which may be placed on the pad to mask unpleasant odors, sothat each pad may be used several times before having to be disposed of.For a male dog which lifts its leg, there may be placed on the pad anartificial post or plastic fire plug.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a disposable,attractive, and grass simulating pet commode particularly adaptable foruse by dogs where owners live in apartment houses or urban areas thathave anti-pollution laws, and/or whose owners do not like to walk theirdogs, particularly in bad weather.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS The above mentioned and otherfeatures, objects and advantages and a manner of attaining them aredescribed more specifically below by reference to an embodiment of thisinvention shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an animal commode package according to apreferred embodiment of this invention, showing in dotted lines anartificial fire hydrant which may be used for male dogs in combinationwith the commode;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing the tray thereofin which the disposable mats of the present invention are placed;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3 3 of FIG. 2including one disposable mat located in the tray; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of one corner of the disposable mat shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, and separately showing its layers by cutting off largercomers of each layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring primarily toFIG. 1 the packaged animal commode 10, particularly for dogs, maycomprise a surrounding transparent plastic film 11 which holds in aplastic tray 20, a plurality of artificial grass disposable mats 30, aninstruction book 12, and a small bottle of a non-toxic deodorizer 13that may be mounted on an instruction card 14. Separate from the commodepackage 10 there may be provided for male dogs, a small artificial orplasticfire hydrant 15, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, that may beplaced on the mat 30 in the tray 20. If desired, this artificialhydrant15 may be used as a receptacle for the deodorant spray, and/or other petaccessories,

Referring next to FIGS. 2 and 3, and tray 20 may be vacuum molded from aplastic sheet to have a peripheral outer wall 21 which has an upper edge22 and an inner wall 23 of less height than the outer wall 21 so as tosupport the bottom 24 of the tray above the bottom edge 29 of the outerwall 21 and provide connecting draining and reinforcing grooves 25, 26and 27 in the bottom 24. The groove 25 may extend around the inside ofthe inner wall 23 and be connected at intervals, such as at its corners,to grooves 26 that extend radially inwardly to a smaller centralconcentric groove 27. Although the tray 20 shown herein has arectangular configuration, it may be of any shape such as triangular forfitting into a corner of a room, polyagonal, circular, irregular, or thelike, without departing from the scope of this invention.

If the plastic of the tray 20 is not sufficiently rigid it may bestiffened by being adhesively applied to a stiff backing sheet offiberboard 28, which contacts the bottom flange edge 29 of the outerwall 21 and the bottoms of the grooves 25, 26 and 27. 7

Although the packaged tray 10 as shown in FIG. 1 may contain severaldisposable mats or pads 30, there is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 only one ofsuch pads which is normally used within the tray 20. Generally eachdisposable mat 30 is between about one eighth to one half inches inthickness and about three to four feet square. Each disposable pad isshaped to fit inside the wall 23 of the tray 20 and is primarilycomposed on its upper surface of a layer of artificial grass 31.

This artificial grass layer 31 may be made of raffia, shredded paper,shredded plastic, or other material of similar texture, or it may be awoven fabric with a nap, such as plastic artificial grass described inFaria et al. U. S. Pat. No. 3,332,828. This artificial grass layer 31 iscolored green to represent grass, and may be impregnated with anattractant, such as concentrated urine, for the animal or pet that willentice the pet to use the mat 30 for relieving itself.

If the artificial grass is a shredded material, it may be floculatedonto a perforated non-absorbant sheet 32 which may be coated with anadhesive for holding the shredded artificial grass particles 31 inplace. This nonabsorbant or impervious layer 32 may be an impregnatedpaper or a plastic sheet, and its perforations permit liquids such asurine deposited upon the artificial grass to drain therethrough and beabsorbed in a lower layer or pad 33 therebelow.

Below the artificial grass 31 and its backing sheet 32, there isprovided a liquid absorbing pad 33 which may be composed of a pluralityof layers of absorbant paper and/or a pad of absorbant fibers to absorbany liquid which seeps through the apertures in the artificial grassbacking sheet 32. Preferably, the lowest layer of the mat 20 below thepad 33 is an impervious layer, such as of plastic or an impregnatedpaper 34, which may be similar to the perforated layer 32.

If desired, any one or all of the layers 32, 33, and 34 may be coloredgreen to match the artificial grass layer 31, snd also may beimpregnated with an animal attractant and/or a deodorizer.

After the animal has done its business on the mat, a drop or spray of adeodorizer from the container 13 may be placed on the mat to kill anyodor therefrom. However, this deodorizer should not be used so soon thatthe dog will be repelled thereby, nor should it be used at first intraining the pet, because the attractant odor of the grass should be thepredominant odor that the pet or animal gets from the disposable mats30. Feces that are deposited on the mat should be brushed off into atoilet, and then the mat treated or sprayed with a deodorant, ifnecessary. Thus the mats may be used several times, and even for aperiod of more than one day, but preferably not longer than a week,before being disposed of by being rolled up, put into a plastic bag, andplaced in the garbage can. Since the mats 30 may have plasticingredients, they should not be flushed down a toilet. in the event amat with all plastic ingredients therein is used, such may have a longerlife than that of one in which only cellulose fibers and/or paper arethe primary ingredients.

While there is described above the observed principles of this inventionin connection with a specific device, it is to be clearly understoodthat there may be many unobserved side effects which contributesubstantially to the efficiency of this device and that this descriptionis made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope ofthis invention. 1 claim:

1. An animal commode comprising:

A. an impervious tray;

B. a disposable abosrbent mat in said tray,

C. said mat having an upper pervious layer, and

D. an artificial grass covering said layer and adhered thereto.

2. A commode according to claim 1 wherein the impervious tray iscomposed of a vacuum formed plastic material.

3. A commode according to claim 2 wherein the bottom of said trayincludes reinforcing ribs.

4. A commode according to claim 2 wherein the reinforced plastic traycomprises a stiff backing sheet to which the tray is adhered.

5. A commode according to claim 1 wherein said abosrbent mat comprisescellulose fibers sandwiched between a pair of sheets one of which sheetsis provided with perforations and the other of which is impervious 6. Acommode according to claim 5 wherein said artificial grass is adhered tothe perforated layer of said absorbant mat.

7. A commode according to claim 1 wherein the artificial grass comprisesraffia dyed green.

8. A commode according to claim 1 wherein said artificial grasscomprises a green shredded plastic material.

9. A commode comprising:

A. a tray having a bottom with reinforcing drain grooves therein,

B. a unitized disposable pad in said tray having an impervious backinglayer, an intermediate absorbant layer, and an upper artificial grasslayer,

C. said pad being impregnated with a pet attractant odoriferouscomposition.

It). A commode according to claim 9 wherein said tray includes a stiffrectangular backing sheet.

11. A pet commode package comprising:

A. a tray having a bottom with a reinforcing drain groove;

B. a plurality of unitized disposable pads in said tray, each padcomprising: an impervious backing, an intermediate absorbant layer, andan upper green artificial grass layer impregnated with a pet attractant,

C. a container of a non-toxic deodorizer,

D. a training instruction pamphlet, and

E. a cover for said tray, pads, container, and pamphlet.

12. A package according to claim 11 wherein said cover is a transparentsheet material.

13. A commode according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the elementstherein is impregnated with an animal attractant composition.

14. An animal commode comprising:

A. an impervious tray,

B. an absorbant mat in said tray having cellulose fibers sandwichedbetween a pair of impervious sheets, one of which sheets is providedwith perforations,

C. an artificial grass adhered to the perforated layer of said absorbantmat, and

D. at least one of the above elements is impregnated with an animalattractant composition.

15. A unitary disposable mat adapted to be used as an animal commode,said mat including:

A. an abosrbent layer,

B. an upper pervious layer with an artificial grass covering and adheredto the same, and

C. a bottom layer of impervious material.

PO-1O5D UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (s/ss) CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIONPatent No. 3,752,121 Dated August 14, 1973 Inventor(s) Jack BRAZZELL Itis certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Colurnn 1, Abstract, line 5, change "ebosrbant" to absorbent Column 1,line 17, change "absorbent" to absorbent line 27, change "absorbent" toabsorbent line 34, change "absorbent" to absorbent Column 2, line 68,change "absorbent" to absorbent Column 3, line 7, change "absorban toabsorbent line 8, change absorbent" to absorbent line 16, change "snd"to and line 47, change "absorbent" to absorbent Column 4, line 2, change"'abosrbent" to absorbent line 8, change "absorbent" to absorbent line18, change 'absorbant" to absorbent line 29, change "absorbent" toabsorbent line 43, change "absorbent" to absorbent line 49, change"absorbent" to absorbent line 54, change "abosrbent" to absorbent Signedand Sealed this 2nd day of April 1971+.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDt-JARD I4.FLETCHER,JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents

1. An animal commode comprising: A. an impervious tray; B. a disposableabosrbent mat in said tray, C. said mat having an upper pervious layer,and D. an artificial grass covering said layer and adhered thereto.
 2. Acommode according to claim 1 wherein the impervious tray is composed ofa vacuum formed plastic material.
 3. A commode according to claim 2wherein the bottom of said tray includes reinforcing ribs.
 4. A commodeaccording to claim 2 wherein the reinforced plastic tray comprises astiff backing sheet to which the tray is adhered.
 5. A commode accordingto claim 1 wherein said abosrbent mat comprises cellulose fiberssandwiched between a pair of sheets , one of which sheets is providedwith perforations , and the other of which is impervious .
 6. A commodeaccording to claim 5 wherein said artificial grass is adhered to theperforated layer of said absorbant mat.
 7. A commode according to claim1 wherein the artificial grass comprises raffia dyed green.
 8. A commodeaccording to claim 1 wherein said artificial grass comprises a greenshredded plastic material.
 9. A commode comprising: A. a tray having abottom with reinforcing drain grooves therein, B. a unitized disposablepad in said tray having an impervious backing layer, an intermediateabsorbant layer, and an upper artificial grass layer, C. said pad beingimpregnated with a pet attractant odoriferous composition.
 10. A commodeaccording to claim 9 wherein said tray includes a stiff rectangularbacking sheet.
 11. A pet commode package comprising: A. a tray having abottom with a reinforcing drain groove; B. a plurality of unitizeddisposable pads in said tray, each pad comprising: an imperviousbacking, an intermediate absorbant layer, and an upper green artificialgrass layer impregnated with a pet attractant, C. a container of anon-toxic deodorizer, D. a training instruction pamphlet, and E. a coverfor said tray, pads, container, and pamphlet.
 12. A package according toclaim 11 wherein said cover is a transparent sheet material.
 13. Acommode according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the elementstherein is impregnated with an animal attractant composition.
 14. Ananimal commode comprising: A. an impervious tray, B. an absorbant mat insaid tray having cellulose fibers sandwiched between a pair ofimpervious sheets, one of which sheets is provided with perforations, C.an artificial grass adhered to the perforated layer of said absorbantmat, and D. at least one of the above elements is impregnated with ananimal attractant composition.
 15. A unitary disposable mat adapted tobe used as an animal commode, said mat including: A. an abosrbent layer,B. an upper pervious layer with an artificial grass covering and adheredto the same, and C. a bottom layer of impervious material.